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VIAfter the burial of our five unfortunate comrades (in one grave,each one simply wrapped in a blanket), the detailed men for thatservice joined the main command, at a rivulet we camped at twonights previously only higher up its course. The water was brackish,but not far from it were little clusters of mesquite trees, to furnishus firewood.Here the officers held a consultation, and the general named thecamp "Resolution" for as we were lost, nearly out of beef cattle andwork oxen, it was resolved in this desperate condition to divide thecommand, for our scouts could not find water or timber ahead of us;and some of our men thus detailed were never heard of, being prob-ably killed by Indians or famished. Therefore it was resolved tosend forward one hundred men, on horseback (of such poor horsesas the Indians did not succeed in stampeding from us), men whowillingly volunteered to run the risk to find the Mexican settle-ment, at the peril of their lives and if successful to send us back areport, if no report came within two weeks, the command wouldscatter by single companies in order to better sustain ourselves bygame we, purchance might be able to get, even at the risk of beingkilled by the Indians, rather than attempt to reach the settlementin a large body, who being out of provisions might starve. Our situ-ation was as forlorn as that of Robinson Crusoe wrecked on adesolate island.After the consultation of the officers some few oxen were killed andkiln dried (that is kind of half cooked over a small fire), to give ouradvance men a supply of food if they could not find game.This being finished the advance, consisting of the commissionerssent out by Texas (also Kendall), to make a treaty of commerce andpeace, most of the merchant traders and others, started off with theblessing of all our men that they might be successful. Sad indeed wasthe parting, we had but little hope of their success in finding thesettlements or in their obtaining succor and relief for us in the wayof provisions, or finding a way to bring our expedition to a successfulend. The name of "Camp Resolution" should have been called "ADesperate Resolution."Some may blame our officers for dividing the command, therebybeing less able to fight the Mexicans who later opposed us andtreacherously deceived us. But I hope the reader has understood erethis, that being lost and our men and animals worn out for wantof sufficient food, and so often suffering for want of water, welooked haggard and despairing. While I write these lines which arenot connected as they should be, nor as descriptive as they might be,I had often to stop between sentences, for my heart was too full,to think of the brave men we lost, trying to find a way forward